Bone plates can be used to treat fractured bones. Typically, a bone plate is secured to a bone to stabilize parts of a fractured bone while the bone mends. Periarticular bone plates are used to treat bone fractures adjacent a joint and typically include an elongate portion which is secured to the diaphysis of a bone and a flared portion which is attached to the metaphysis of the bone with, e.g., a plurality of screws.
Jigs can be used to assist a surgeon in aligning a fastener, such as a screw, with a hole or other cooperating structure of a bone plate. These jigs can include holes for receiving cannulas which facilitate alignment of fasteners with cooperating structures of the bone plate. In use, the jig holes align and support the cannulas. Each jig hole has a continuous wall that defines an elongate hole in the jig. The jig holes are sized to closely surround the exterior wall of a cannula such that the jig hole aligns the cannula with, e.g., a screw hole in the bone plate. Thereafter, the cannulas can be used to assist the surgeon in guiding fasteners into operative position with respect to the bone plate. Typically, the longitudinal axes of the cannulas inserted in the jig holes are not parallel and therefore the jig is locked in position until the cannulas are removed from the jig. Specifically, because the jig holes are defined by continuous walls that closely surround the cannulas positioned therein, and the axes of the cannulas positioned within the jig holes are not parallel, the jig cannot be moved relative to the cannulas positioned in the jig holes of the jig.
Jigs are sometimes attached to a bone plate and used to assist a surgeon in guiding the bone plate between the soft tissue and bone of a patient. These jigs can also serve as a guide for inserting fasteners into engagement with cooperating structures of a bone plate. In use, these jigs maintain a position external of the patient and include holes which are substantially aligned with the holes of the bone plate inserted under the soft tissue of the patient. The position and orientation of the jig holes with respect to one another are fixed and unadjustable.
On occasion, Kirshner wires, or “K-wires”, are used to stabilize parts of a fractured bone while the bone mends. In use, a K-wire is inserted into the bone to anchor the K-wire and the excess length of the K-wire is removed, typically creating a sharp end. The sharp end of the wire can then be aligned with the surface of a bone plate or, if a bone plate is not used, aligned with the surface of the bone to reduce impingement of the K-wire with the surrounding soft tissue. Typically, the K-wire is bent with a wire bender.